Editors’ Prepping Progress

To be prepared for a crisis, every Prepper must establish goals and make long-term and short-term plans. In this column, the SurvivalBlog editors review their week’s prep activities and planned prep activities for the coming week. These range from healthcare and gear purchases to gardening, ranch improvements, bug out bag fine-tuning, and food storage. This is something akin to our Retreat Owner Profiles, but written incrementally and in detail, throughout the year.  We always welcome you to share your own successes and wisdom in your e-mailed letters. We post many of those –or excerpts thereof — in this column, in the Odds ‘n Sods Column, and in the Snippets column. Let’s keep busy and be ready!

Jim Reports:

We had less activity last week, because a series of snow showers and rain showers curtailed our outdoor activity. The cattle apparently objected to being separated from the horses. They broke through a pasture gate, lifting it off of its hinge pins. I remedied that by installing a large lag bolt immediately above each pin.  But for the time being, the cows and horses are now pastured together. We are now working on the “reserve” hay pile. That is about three tons of Timothy/grass mix bales. The grass in our pastures should be tall enough soon that we won’t have to use more than half of those reserve bales.

I put up a couple of new light fixtures for Lily in the kitchen and dining room. Those certainly made a difference in cheering up the place, in the midst of Mud Season.

We took delivery of our new wood cookstove. We won’t have a place for it until I build a stone base, in the kitchen. So the stove may sit tarped on the deck for a couple of weeks.

Our other work this week involved our old camping/bugout trailer. Lily will explain that…

Continue reading“Editors’ Prepping Progress”

The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

“These be the words which Moses spake unto all Israel on this side Jordan in the wilderness, in the plain over against the Red sea, between Paran, and Tophel, and Laban, and Hazeroth, and Dizahab.

(There are eleven days’ journey from Horeb by the way of mount Seir unto Kadeshbarnea.)

And it came to pass in the fortieth year, in the eleventh month, on the first day of the month, that Moses spake unto the children of Israel, according unto all that the Lord had given him in commandment unto them;

After he had slain Sihon the king of the Amorites, which dwelt in Heshbon, and Og the king of Bashan, which dwelt at Astaroth in Edrei:

On this side Jordan, in the land of Moab, began Moses to declare this law, saying,

The Lord our God spake unto us in Horeb, saying, Ye have dwelt long enough in this mount:

Turn you, and take your journey, and go to the mount of the Amorites, and unto all the places nigh thereunto, in the plain, in the hills, and in the vale, and in the south, and by the sea side, to the land of the Canaanites, and unto Lebanon, unto the great river, the river Euphrates.

Behold, I have set the land before you: go in and possess the land which the Lord sware unto your fathers, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, to give unto them and to their seed after them.

And I spake unto you at that time, saying, I am not able to bear you myself alone:

The Lord your God hath multiplied you, and, behold, ye are this day as the stars of heaven for multitude.

(The Lord God of your fathers make you a thousand times so many more as ye are, and bless you, as he hath promised you!)

How can I myself alone bear your cumbrance, and your burden, and your strife?

Take you wise men, and understanding, and known among your tribes, and I will make them rulers over you.

And ye answered me, and said, The thing which thou hast spoken is good for us to do.

So I took the chief of your tribes, wise men, and known, and made them heads over you, captains over thousands, and captains over hundreds, and captains over fifties, and captains over tens, and officers among your tribes.

And I charged your judges at that time, saying, Hear the causes between your brethren, and judge righteously between every man and his brother, and the stranger that is with him.

Ye shall not respect persons in judgment; but ye shall hear the small as well as the great; ye shall not be afraid of the face of man; for the judgment is God’s: and the cause that is too hard for you, bring it unto me, and I will hear it.

And I commanded you at that time all the things which ye should do.” – Deuteronomy 1: 1-18 (KJV)

Preparedness Notes for Friday — April 8, 2022

April 8th is the birthday of the late Ian Smith, Prime Minister of Rhodesia. (Born, 1919, died November 20, 2007.)

April 8th is also the anniversary of the death of English experimental gunsmith and author Phillip Luty, in 2011. He was hounded by British authorities for many years. He died of cancer before a scheduled criminal trial.

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SurvivalBlog Writing Contest

Today we present another entry for Round 100 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The prizes for this round include:

First Prize:

  1. The photovoltaic power specialists at Quantum Harvest LLC  are providing a store-wide 10% off coupon. Depending on the model chosen, this could be worth more than $2000.
  2. A Gunsite Academy Three Day Course Certificate. This can be used for any of their one, two, or three-day course (a $1,095 value),
  3. A course certificate from onPoint Tactical for the prize winner’s choice of three-day civilian courses, excluding those restricted for military or government teams. Three-day onPoint courses normally cost $795,
  4. Two cases of Mountain House freeze-dried assorted entrees in #10 cans, courtesy of Ready Made Resources (a $350 value),
  5. A $250 gift certificate good for any product from Sunflower Ammo,
  6. American Gunsmithing Institute (AGI) is providing a $300 certificate good towards any of their DVD training courses.
  7. Two sets of The Civil Defense Manual, (in two volumes) — a $193 value — kindly donated by the author, Jack Lawson.

Second Prize:

  1. A Front Sight Lifetime Diamond Membership, providing lifetime free training at any Front Sight Nevada course, with no limit on repeating classes. This prize is courtesy of a SurvivalBlog reader who prefers to be anonymous.
  2. A SIRT STIC AR-15/M4 Laser Training Package, courtesy of Next Level Training, that has a combined retail value of $679
  3. Two 1,000-foot spools of full mil-spec U.S.-made 750 paracord (in-stock colors only) from www.TOUGHGRID.com (a $240 value).
  4. Two Super Survival Pack seed collections, a $150 value, courtesy of Seed for Security, LLC,
  5. A transferable $150 FRN purchase credit from Elk Creek Company, toward the purchase of any pre-1899 antique gun. There is no paperwork required for delivery of pre-1899 guns into most states, making them the last bastion of firearms purchasing privacy!

Third Prize:

  1. Three sets each of made-in-USA regular and wide-mouth reusable canning lids. (This is a total of 300 lids and 600 gaskets.) This prize is courtesy of Harvest Guard (a $270 value)
  2. A Royal Berkey water filter, courtesy of Directive 21 (a $275 value),
  3. A LogOX 3-in-1 Forestry MultiTool (a $189 value) and a WoodOx Sling (a $79.95 value), courtesy of LogOx, both made in USA.
  4. A transferable $100 FRN purchase credit from Elk Creek Company, toward the purchase of any pre-1899 antique gun.

—

More than $725,000 worth of prizes have been awarded since we started running this contest. Round 100 ends on May 31st, so get busy writing and e-mail us your entry. Remember that there is a 1,500-word minimum, and that articles on practical “how-to” skills for survival have an advantage in the judging

A Home Perimeter and Defense Model For The Prepared, by P.F.

I will admit it; I’m slightly paranoid, especially these days I’m more suspicious than ever. However, I take comfort in knowing that I’m in good company.  Some degree of paranoia is probably good, like the fight-or-flight survival mechanism, since without it our prehistoric ancestors would have become dinosaur appetizers. So, viewed in a positive light, slight paranoia is a survival and coping mechanism.

I am also an Eagle Scout and so I’ve lived the “Be Prepared” mindset since my early teenage years.  My second adult career is as a remodeling contractor, so I am a bit handy with most things in building and home repairs.  Like many of you, I’m a civilian, not ex-military or ex-law enforcement; just an average guy with a few skills, some common sense and awareness, and a quest for knowledge in being better prepared for adversity.  With that in mind, I have developed a Home Perimeter Defense Model that will be helpful for you to think about and plan for the layered defense of your castle.

Area of Operations Intelligence

The objective of having a well-thought-out perimeter defense plan is to gain time to react through early warning and slowing down the attacker(s); and to also make your home a less-appealing target to frustrate an attack in the first place.Continue reading“A Home Perimeter and Defense Model For The Prepared, by P.F.”

Economics & Investing For Preppers

Here are the latest news items and commentary on current economics news, market trends, stocks, investing opportunities, and the precious metals markets. We also cover hedges, derivatives, and obscura. Most of these items are from the “tangibles heavy” contrarian perspective of SurvivalBlog’s Founder and Senior Editor, JWR. Today, we look at rapidly-inflating currencies. (See the Forex & Cryptos section.)

Precious Metals:

A fascinating video: Rafi Farber: Here’s What Happens to Silver When Russia Moves to a Gold Ruble.

o  o  o

Inverted yield curve, recession, and what it means for gold and silver.

Economy & Finance:

WSJ: New Vehicles Must Get 49 Miles a Gallon by 2026, Biden Administration Says.

o  o  o

At Wolf Street: Mortgage Rates Breach 5%, Two-Year & 10-Year Treasury Yields Spike after Fed Dove Brainard Explains How Inflation is Much Worse for Lower Income Households than CPI Shows.

o  o  o

It’s Official: Deutsche Is The First Bank To Forecast A US Recession In Late 2023.

o  o  o

Also at Zero Hedge: White House Plans To Extend Student Loan Moratorium (Again) As Midterms Loom.
Continue reading“Economics & Investing For Preppers”

The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

“Within Britain itself, we were landed with a socialist government hell-bent on appeasing the cult of Marxist Leninism, at the expense of the old traditional values of the British Empire. ” – Ian Smith

Preparedness Notes for Thursday — April 7, 2022

April 7th is the birthday of Colonel Bob Denard (born 1929, died October 13, 2007). He had an amazing life as a mercenary, including four attempted coups in the Comoros.

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Today we present an article by SurvivlaBlog’s Senior Editor James Wesley, Rawles (JWR).

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Round 100 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest is now underway. More than $725,000 worth of prizes have been awarded since we started running this contest. Round 100 ends on May 31st, so get busy writing and e-mail us your entry. Remember that there is a 1,500-word minimum, and that articles on practical “how-to” skills for survival have an advantage in the judging

The Logic of Pre-1965 Silver Coin Pricing in Inflationary Times

We are living in an age of inflation. The recent wave of inflation in the United States will surely continue and may very likely become more severe than what we witnessed in the late 1970s and early 1980s. Double-digit and even triple-digit consumer price inflation may be in our near future. Life in a country where 20% or more of the purchasing power of the principal currency unit erodes annually is not pleasant. When this happens, inflation inevitably breeds even more inflation. Producers, wholesalers, and retailers all get in the habit of regularly jacking up their prices, in anticipation of continuing inflation. This soon becomes a feedback loop that pervades all of society. Once the annual inflation rate exceeds 25%, people begin to hoard things (tangibles). And once the annual inflation rate exceeds 50%, people start spending their money just as quickly as they earn it. The phrase “cash is king” is replaced by the phrase “cash is trash.” In Central America and South America, they fittingly refer to inflation as: “El Enferno.” (The Furnace.)

My personal response to rising inflation has been to switch to using silver, as much as possible, as a practical store of wealth.Continue reading“The Logic of Pre-1965 Silver Coin Pricing in Inflationary Times”

The Survivalist’s Odds ‘n Sods

SurvivalBlog presents another edition of The Survivalist’s Odds ‘n Sods— a collection of news bits and pieces that are relevant to the modern survivalist and prepper from “JWR”. Our goal is to educate our readers, to help them to recognize emerging threats, and to be better prepared for both disasters and negative societal trends. You can’t mitigate a risk if you haven’t first identified a risk. Today, we ponder Dr. Yuval Noah Harari’s predictions.

Klaus Schwab’s Computer Science Advisor: Hacking Humans

Avalanche Lily spotted this: Listen To Klaus Schwab’s Advisor – We Can Hack Humans. JWR’s Comments: Please note that Dr. Harari is a globalist, who desires a supranational global government. So when he warns about “a new Stalin”, what he is actually warning against is AI in the hands of nation-states. The unspoken here is that he clearly wants a powerful AI in the hands of a world government. Take the time to re-read Revelation Chapters 13 and 14, with this in mind!

Solar Activity Rising

Spaceweather.com posted this chart: Sunspot Count: Predicted Versus Actual.

Continue reading“The Survivalist’s Odds ‘n Sods”

The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

“The development of full artificial intelligence could spell the end of the human race… …It would take off on its own, and re-design itself at an ever-increasing rate. Humans, who are limited by slow biological evolution, couldn’t compete, and would be superseded.” – Dr. Stephen Hawking

Where to Call “Home”: Prepping Post-Pandemic – Part 2, by Alex Braszko

(Continued from Part 1. This concludes the article.)

Fitting In

Good communication is key, if you want to fit in, wherever you decide to live in this world. But fitting in requires more than just learning a language. While I have seen only a few parts of the Middle East and Asia, I have discovered cultural barriers and hostility toward my chosen religion, as well as my citizenship, in some countries. These facts can make it difficult for a western-minded conservative Christian American to feel at home in some places, even when he embraces local customs, language, and traditions. And while I can speak three languages pretty decently, I never was able to learn the Korean language or Hangul very well, or Chinese, or Japanese for that matter, other than some basic phrases. And I really did try.

The same could be said about politics. After explaining myself to neighbors or coworkers or new acquaintances in California for the umpteenth time, and after experiencing some really shocking moral affronts I never could have predicted, I noticed how refreshing it was to meet with and talk to someone that shared the same faith, life priorities and perspectives after a while.Continue reading“Where to Call “Home”: Prepping Post-Pandemic – Part 2, by Alex Braszko”

SurvivalBlog Readers’ & Editors’ Snippets

This weekly column is a collection of short snippets: responses to posted articles, practical self-sufficiency items, how-tos, lessons learned, tips and tricks, and news items — both from readers and from SurvivalBlog’s editors. We may select some long e-mails for posting as separate letters.

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First and foremost is the great news that Georgia will become America’s 25th Constitutional Carry state: Gov. Brian Kemp: Georgians’ ‘Carry Permit Is the 2nd Amendment’. Here is a quote:

“Kemp tweeted, “For law-abiding Georgians, their carry permit is the 2nd Amendment.”

JWR’s Comments:  I’m glad to hear that Governor Kemp agrees with me. In a 2009 interview on FoxBusiness, I was asked by an incredulous interviewer: “Shouldn’t someone be required have a permit to carry a gun in public?” My immediate and forthright reply was: “We have a permit. It’s called The Second Amendment.”

o  o  o

Peter pointed us to this CNN news piece: Severe drought and mandatory water cuts are pitting communities against each other in Arizona.

o  o  o

Reader Skip W. recommended a video interview with former Lieutenant Colonel Jay Block. From the description:

‘Lieutenant Colonel Jay Blockhas played an essential role in the management and administration of the USA’s nuclear forces. He is now running for governor of New Mexico. We discuss the prospect for a global conflict, how it would unfold, what the belligerents capabilities are and what we need to do to prevent, endure and survive such an event.’

o  o  o

Tunnel Rabbit sent this quite useful advice:

A $25 Moxon for Hams: There is an affordable directional antenna called the Moxon. It is designed for the Amateur 420 to 450 MHz band, and has a center frequency of 433 MHz for satellite work. See the analyzer results in the photo at the eBay page.  Made from carbon fiber, it is very lightweight and compact and would easily fit on or into a pack.  However, this may not be as durable as a rugged homemade version, but it is still a bargain, and could easily be mounted in an attic if it is not designed for prolonged exposure to wind and weather.

The manufacturer states that it will have a +/- 10 Megahertz range either side of the center frequency with a low SWR, and claims it will work the entire band, however, I doubt it will work the repeaters in the U.S.. Yet, at $25, it is the least expensive directional antenna I’ve seen on the market.  It is designed primarily for portable use, and the connector is the Male SMA type for connection to certain handhelds, but there are many adapters made to convert this connector to SMA F.  For Baofeng and Wouxan handhelds, use SMA F to UHF (SO 239) that are one of these that include no cable, or long lengths for a station installation.  For mobiles use this one.
Ask the manufacturer how much power this antenna can handle before using it with a mobile.   The gain should be typically around 5.75 dBi. With 5 watts from a handheld radio, it would have an ERP of around 11.5 watts if connected directly to the antenna without a cable. This is plenty of power to cover a 10 to 20 mile in diameter AO. The ERP, if 40 feet of RG8x is used, would be only 4.75 watts, so use the equivalent of LMR 400 cable if possible.

Continue reading“SurvivalBlog Readers’ & Editors’ Snippets”

The Editors’ Quote of the Day:

“I do not say that democracy has been more pernicious on the whole, and in the long run, than monarchy or aristocracy. Democracy has never been and never can be so durable as aristocracy or monarchy; but while it lasts, it is more bloody than either. … Remember, democracy never lasts long. It soon wastes, exhausts, and murders itself. There never was a democracy yet that did not commit suicide. It is in vain to say that democracy is less vain, less proud, less selfish, less ambitious, or less avaricious than aristocracy or monarchy. It is not true, in fact, and nowhere appears in history. Those passions are the same in all men, under all forms of simple government, and when unchecked, produce the same effects of fraud, violence, and cruelty. When clear prospects are opened before vanity, pride, avarice, or ambition, for their easy gratification, it is hard for the most considerate philosophers and the most conscientious moralists to resist the temptation. Individuals have conquered themselves. Nations and large bodies of men, never.” – John Adams, The Letters of John and Abigail Adams

Preparedness Notes for Wednesday — April 6, 2022

Today is the birthday of novelist Vince Flynn. (Born April 6, 1966, died June 19, 2013.) His death at age 47 was a loss to the literary world.

This is also the birthday of famous American newsreel and radio journalist/narrator Lowell Thomas.

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SurvivalBlog Writing Contest

Today we present another entry for Round 99 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The prizes for this round include:

First Prize:

  1. The photovoltaic power specialists at Quantum Harvest LLC  are providing a store-wide 10% off coupon. Depending on the model chosen, this could be worth more than $2000.
  2. A Gunsite Academy Three Day Course Certificate. This can be used for any of their one, two, or three-day course (a $1,095 value),
  3. A course certificate from onPoint Tactical for the prize winner’s choice of three-day civilian courses, excluding those restricted for military or government teams. Three-day onPoint courses normally cost $795,
  4. Two cases of Mountain House freeze-dried assorted entrees in #10 cans, courtesy of Ready Made Resources (a $350 value),
  5. A $250 gift certificate good for any product from Sunflower Ammo,
  6. American Gunsmithing Institute (AGI) is providing a $300 certificate good towards any of their DVD training courses.
  7. Two sets of The Civil Defense Manual, (in two volumes) — a $193 value — kindly donated by the author, Jack Lawson.

Second Prize:

  1. A Front Sight Lifetime Diamond Membership, providing lifetime free training at any Front Sight Nevada course, with no limit on repeating classes. This prize is courtesy of a SurvivalBlog reader who prefers to be anonymous.
  2. A SIRT STIC AR-15/M4 Laser Training Package, courtesy of Next Level Training, that has a combined retail value of $679
  3. Two 1,000-foot spools of full mil-spec U.S.-made 750 paracord (in-stock colors only) from www.TOUGHGRID.com (a $240 value).
  4. Two Super Survival Pack seed collections, a $150 value, courtesy of Seed for Security, LLC,
  5. A transferable $150 FRN purchase credit from Elk Creek Company, toward the purchase of any pre-1899 antique gun. There is no paperwork required for delivery of pre-1899 guns into most states, making them the last bastion of firearms purchasing privacy!

Third Prize:

  1. Three sets each of made-in-USA regular and wide-mouth reusable canning lids. (This is a total of 300 lids and 600 gaskets.) This prize is courtesy of Harvest Guard (a $270 value)
  2. A Royal Berkey water filter, courtesy of Directive 21 (a $275 value),
  3. A transferable $100 FRN purchase credit from Elk Creek Company, toward the purchase of any pre-1899 antique gun.

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More than $725,000 worth of prizes have been awarded since we started running this contest. Round 99 ends on March 31st, so get busy writing and e-mail us your entry. Remember that there is a 1,500-word minimum, and that articles on practical “how-to” skills for survival have an advantage in the judging.

Preparedness Notes for Tuesday — April 5, 2022

Today is the birthday of Baron Arisaka Nariakira (April 5, 1852 – January 12, 1915.) He was a lieutenant general in the Imperial Japanese Army. The inventor of the Arisaka Rifle, he is regarded as one of the leading arms designers in Japanese history, alongside Kijiro Nambu.

On this day in 1614, Pocahontas married John Rolfe which ensured peace between the Jamestown settlers and the Powhatan Indians for several years.

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SurvivalBlog Writing Contest

Today we present the first entry for Round 100 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest. The prizes for this round include:

First Prize:

  1. The photovoltaic power specialists at Quantum Harvest LLC  are providing a store-wide 10% off coupon. Depending on the model chosen, this could be worth more than $2000.
  2. A Gunsite Academy Three Day Course Certificate. This can be used for any of their one, two, or three-day course (a $1,095 value),
  3. A course certificate from onPoint Tactical for the prize winner’s choice of three-day civilian courses, excluding those restricted for military or government teams. Three-day onPoint courses normally cost $795,
  4. Two cases of Mountain House freeze-dried assorted entrees in #10 cans, courtesy of Ready Made Resources (a $350 value),
  5. A $250 gift certificate good for any product from Sunflower Ammo,
  6. American Gunsmithing Institute (AGI) is providing a $300 certificate good towards any of their DVD training courses.
  7. Two sets of The Civil Defense Manual, (in two volumes) — a $193 value — kindly donated by the author, Jack Lawson.

Second Prize:

  1. A Front Sight Lifetime Diamond Membership, providing lifetime free training at any Front Sight Nevada course, with no limit on repeating classes. This prize is courtesy of a SurvivalBlog reader who prefers to be anonymous.
  2. A SIRT STIC AR-15/M4 Laser Training Package, courtesy of Next Level Training, that has a combined retail value of $679
  3. Two 1,000-foot spools of full mil-spec U.S.-made 750 paracord (in-stock colors only) from www.TOUGHGRID.com (a $240 value).
  4. Two Super Survival Pack seed collections, a $150 value, courtesy of Seed for Security, LLC,
  5. A transferable $150 FRN purchase credit from Elk Creek Company, toward the purchase of any pre-1899 antique gun. There is no paperwork required for delivery of pre-1899 guns into most states, making them the last bastion of firearms purchasing privacy!

Third Prize:

  1. Three sets each of made-in-USA regular and wide-mouth reusable canning lids. (This is a total of 300 lids and 600 gaskets.) This prize is courtesy of Harvest Guard (a $270 value)
  2. A Royal Berkey water filter, courtesy of Directive 21 (a $275 value),
  3. A LogOX 3-in-1 Forestry MultiTool (a $189 value) and a WoodOx Sling (a $79.95 value), courtesy of LogOx, both made in USA.
  4. A transferable $100 FRN purchase credit from Elk Creek Company, toward the purchase of any pre-1899 antique gun.

—

More than $725,000 worth of prizes have been awarded since we started running this contest. Round 100 ends on May 31st, so get busy writing and e-mail us your entry. Remember that there is a 1,500-word minimum, and that articles on practical “how-to” skills for survival have an advantage in the judgin